Author Topic: If I could choose only one powder, what would you suggest? (Read 1668 times)

shoots4fun · « **Reply #30 on:** September 20, 2005, 12:24:33 PM »

I'll be getting some 165 or 180 grains before hunting season. I just bought the 150 to plink around with, and it was cheap.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 20, 2005, 07:45:11 PM »

#1 choice...IMR 4350

#2 choice....IMR4064

#3 choice....Reloader 19

#4 choice....AA3100

My suggestion...buy a few manuals to start...then at least 2 different powders...if you keep them in a cool dry place they will keep for a long time...and sooner or later you'll find a use for it...because you can't always get good accuracy with what works for both...

Mac

hunting1 · « **Reply #32 on:** September 20, 2005, 09:12:28 PM »

Mine would be Varget and than H4350.

shoots4fun · « **Reply #33 on:** October 08, 2005, 04:50:43 PM »

Well as mentioned, I bought some IMR 4350 and Hodgdon H414. Mostly these seem to be very similar in characterstics with on being extruded and the other being a ball type powder. My cousin just gave me 3 1 lb. cans of IMR 4831, none of which are full. He buys a new can when he want to reload, the oldest can being from 1994 and it is nearly full. The second can is from 2002, probably 3/4 empty. The last can he bought, just this past week, is dated 2000, it to was about 3/4 empty (we loaded a hundred rounds out of it the other evening).

I just used up the rest of the 2000 dated can tonight. It smelled much like the 2002 (IMR 4831) and the IMR 4350 I had just bought. The 1994 can of IMR 4831 smells a tad different. Is it OK to use this stuff up? Is there anything to keep in mind when using 10+ year old powder, or should it just be disposed of?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #34 on:** October 09, 2005, 02:54:09 AM »

As long as it has been stored properly the age of the powder is of little consern. I have a number of old powders I still use with regularity. Some of which date to the early 1960's. I have never had a problem. If you see rust developing in the can or see rust colored "smoke" upon opening a can, discard it. Keep cans tightly closed, open only long enough to dispence the amount you intend to use. Be frugal, you can always add a bit more, I never put it back into the can once it is out. This is just my own method.

PRIMERS...now there is something I watch. I tyry not to keep to many on hand. For my use a brick of each at most. Ten years is about all I prefer to keep them. Although these too will most likely be OK for longer time period. I had some poor results with some very old primers from my father. My brother lost a very large buck because of those bad primers.